I’m not grooming my son to become governor –Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki has denied speculations that he is grooming his son as a future governor of Kwara State.

Saraki told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that any such grooming “is not in the offing at all.”

“I am sure he (son) doesn’t even want to hear politics at all,” he said.

“You know it is not easy for children who are born to politicians especially in this time.”

Recalling his own experience, Saraki said: “When I was much younger, we were insulated from some of the political issues because well, we didn’t read the newspapers, we didn’t know what was happening.

“I reluctantly went into politics, go and check. Once or twice I was given the form to run for House of Reps, I remember I just travelled and turned off my phones and disappeared for months. After seeing what my father had been through, I thought to myself that this is not for me.”

He expressed disappointment at what he called the dormant state of affairs in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying: “I think there is no APC member that will tell you he is happy with the state of affairs of the party. There is a lot of work that we need to do. Luckily despite the lack of meetings here and there, if you go round the 36 states, not many states but just a few states where I see internal party crisis. “It is not that party at the grassroots has a lot of crisis here and there. It is just for the administrative aspect and the national to provide leadership in driving the party.

“The party needs to do that, I mean there is no doubt that we are running out of time. But luckily for us there are no many major crises in the party per se. It is just that the party is drifting, it is not becoming a rallying point, no activity, a ruling party definitely should be seeing more activities those in charge of the party need to get that going.

“Look the issue that there are speculations because the party is docile. If the party goes back to what we all know it to be, holding NEC, and having caucus meetings, spirit and no spirit things will stop.”